TIME MANAGEMENT

We all get the same 24 hours – so why do some people seem to achieve more with their
time than others? The answer: good time management.

⁃ Time management is the process of organizing and planning how to divide your
time between different activities. Get it right, and you'll end up working smarter, not
harder, to get more done in less time – even when time is tight and pressures are high.
⁃ Time management is the coordination of tasks and activities to maximize the
effectiveness of an individual's efforts. Essentially, the purpose of time management is to
enable people to get more and better work done in less time.

Elements of time management include organization, planning and scheduling to best

take advantage of the time available.

Why is time management important?

The importance of time management is in its ability to assign meaning to time, letting
people make the most of their time. In a business context, it is used to set goals and
expectations for companies and their employees. Good time management skills help
employees deliver quality work and meet their goals effectively. Time management also
helps managers to understand what employees are capable of and to set realistic goals.

Poor time management skills cause employees to miss goals and deliver poor work,
become overly stressed out and anxious, and run short of time. When time is used
inefficiently, it has deleterious effects on employees, management and the company.

Time poverty is a result of poor or nonexistent time management. People find

themselves in this state when they have too much to do and too little time to do it. Their
personal lives suffer, and they feel increasingly overwhelmed with responsibilities and
activities despite working hard.

Time management requires active decisions about what a person wants to do. Without
time management, individuals continually react to external stimuli and lose a sense of
control over their work and lives.
All work takes time, but some tasks are more valuable than others. Reallocating time to
higher-value work improves both productivity and work-life balance. Good time
management creates a healthier workplace overall.

The Benefits of Good Time Management

When you know how to manage your time effectively, you can unlock many benefits.
These include:
• Greater productivity and efficiency.
• Less stress.
• A better professional reputation.
• Increased chances of advancement.
• More opportunities to achieve your life and career goals.

Overall, you start feeling more in control, with the confidence to choose how best to use
your time.
And by feeling happier, more relaxed, and better able to think, you're in a great place to
help others reach their targets, too.

What is a vision and mission statement?

A vision and mission statement is a paragraph that encapsulates everything you would
like to be, do, and have in your career.
It defines what success and excellence look like to you. It expresses your vision for where
you want to be in the future and it reflects your values, goals, and purpose and how you
want to operate.

“My vision is to be an honest, empathetic and impactful project leader and to be

recognized internationally within my industry. I am committed to growing as a leader
and delivering value-added projects to the end users. My mission is to create and lead a
dream team where everyone is playing to their strengths.”

How does a vision statement differ from a mission statement?

Vision and mission statements are very similar but they have their differences. Let’s take
a deeper look:

Vision statement:
• A vision statement describes what you want to achieve in the future.
• The vision statement answers the question “Where do I want to be?”
• It defines the optimal desired future state—the mental picture—of what you want
to achieve over time, say in five, ten or more years.
• It inspires you to give your best and shapes your understanding of why you are
doing what you do.
Example: “My vision is a world where everyone is contributing with their full potential;
where each person uses their intrinsic genius and leadership to deliver outstanding
value-added projects.”

Mission statement:
• A mission statement describes what you want now and how you will achieve your
long term aspiration.
• A mission statement does not define a long term future state but is more concerned
with the present state. It answers the questions of: “What do I do?”, “How do I do it?”,
“Who do I do it for?”, “What makes me different”, and “What is the benefit?”
• It talks about the present leading to the future, and how you will get to where you
want to be.
Example: “My mission is to help project managers transform into impactful project
leaders.”

As the saying goes, “If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will will take you
there”.

STRATEGY
⁃ to achieve an objective or goal

Before a strategy can be proposed or implemented, the organization has to develop a

clear idea of where it is going, and why. How is this accomplished?
VISION
⁃ where the organization intends to be at some future.

A vision needs to be:

1. Simple, clear, and easily understood by most of the people. The key element of a
strong vision is that is translates complex problems into understandable choices.
2. Distant enough in time to allow for dramatic changes, but close enough to gain
commitment from the organization. The vision must be realistic, credible, and able to
withstand hypothetical, cause-and-effect examination. The vision must also create a sense
of urgency.
3. Able to focus the organization with respect to scope and time. The vision should
focus the organization on the right things, particularly the things it does best.